"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

Thrifty's used to have these nice pre-made stuffed salmon rolls at the fish counter. Now they're the same commercially made, frozen ones that are taken right out of the same boxes they sell in the freezer and they're not nearly as tasty.

As for Fairways, a friend of mine picked up some milk at one of their stores recently and it was three weeks past the expiry date. He's had some issues with their meat too.

Safeway seems extremely optimistic about expiry dates on their fresh chicken - usually 10 days or so. I used to buy chicken thinking "it's a few days before expiry, it should be good" only to open it the next day and be quite disappointed.

With food production becoming more and more commercialized and chemicalized, it's no wonder why it's hard to find fresh healthy food and why obesity is quickly becoming a big problem in Canada.

Only reason I still use thrifties is because it's literally 5 seconds away from my house, and cheaper than Safeway. I'm on the fence though.. Safeways a little more money, a little extra walking, but also a little higher quality stock.

I know that I used to grumble about the prices but now the selection is just awful, too. I was really looking for an item, so I left the Thrifty's at Fairfiel Plaza after I couldn't find it and drove over to the Fairways in Quadra Vilalge. WOW! Not only did they have what I wanted, but a few different brands of it, to boot!

I'm done with Thrifty's. From now on, it's Oxford, Fairways, Wal-Mart and Costco.

Me too. Overpriced by a lot!!! Now I know why Alex Campbell died so rich. Occasionally I use Thrifty's for home delivery but after yesterday...8 bags of groceries $292.00 and one bag only had 3 items. I know, I know it's my own fault. But I was sick.

We have company staying so I thought it would be prudent to order groceries.

Being in England for the past two months has really made me appreciate the stores we have in Victoria, Thriftys and Fairways. Just look at these two photos. The quality and selection of items is as utilitarian as as their presentation.

When Sobeys bought Thrifty I think they paid huge money for the right to continue using Thrifty's name and benefit from all the good will and loyalty that the Campbells had earned over the years. I think people are beginning to realize that they are not Thrifty Foods anymore. Customer service, selection and value have really tailed off in the past few years. The smile used to be in the aisle, then it was in the bag, now it's not even in the neighbourhood.

I seem to have met a lot of people that are moving into the area and I general counsel them as follows:

Oxford: staples and vegetablesFairways: Asian staples and vegetablesWal-Mart: staples, household goodsCostco: meat (big boxes of IQF chicken boobs and angus burgers), seafood, frozen veggies, household goodsIsland Meat & Seafood or Slater's: jerky; and steak and seafood that I plan to use that nightThrifty's or Safeway: When it's late and you're stuckMarket on Yates: only if you're a lottery winner

I'm opening up a Consumers Distributing grocery franchise where you pick your produce and meat from a catalog and a clerk runs to the back and brings it all up to you wrapped up. My business model is dependent on people not opening up the packages until they get home.

"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

It's been a while since I shopped at Costco. How's the value on frozen foods like chicken compared to local fresh products?

And I always thought the frozen stuff didn't taste quite as good, or is that less of a problem with IQF preperation?

It's usually between $25-32 (depending if it is on sale) for a 4kg box - so $7.50-8.00/kg? I usually use it in stirfries (along with a big bag of stirfry veg, courtesy Costco), so the flavour of the meat is generally hidden. It cooks up nice and moist, though.

I find IQF to be both more consistent and more convenient. In fact, there are studies out there that show that IQF goods - especially those frozen right after picking, netting, killing, etc. - taste superior to so-called fresh meats, fish and produce - mainly because they've not been sitting in a truck waiting to get here. Of course, with local products, it's not much of an issue - provided you can tell when it was picked, fished or killed.

I'm not the type of person who stops at the store on the way home to pick up ingredients for dinner, so this works really well for me.

I might have to renew my Costco membership then and give it a try. There are other things I should look at buying in larger quantities too. I had a membership when I had a roommate but I just ended up buying their pre-made pasta dishes all the time and got fat.

I might have to renew my Costco membership then and give it a try. There are other things I should look at buying in larger quantities too. I had a membership when I had a roommate but I just ended up buying their pre-made pasta dishes all the time and got fat.

I would also consider an apartment sized standing deep freezer and a vacuum packer. Tonnes on UsedVictoria.

I also find that they have great prices for cheese (try to buy the same large $30 chunk of Parmiggiano Reggiano - the best parmesan cheese in the world - at Thrifty's and I guarantee it will cost you more like $75), steaks (I like buying the side and then cutting the steaks to a thickness that I like and then freezing the rest), salad (clamshells that are $9 @ Thriftys' are $4) and large bags of nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.).

I'm opening up a Consumers Distributing grocery franchise where you pick your produce and meat from a catalog and a clerk runs to the back and brings it all up to you wrapped up. My business model is dependent on people not opening up the packages until they get home.

Why not go with infomercials? The can't-see-it-until-you-own-it concept was born there.